A Night in New York
HIM
What a shitty day. I leave work in a foul mood, walking down Fifth Avenue. My boss is an asshole, I am bored to death, and sick of everything. I work as a stockbroker in a trading firm in Manhattan, putting in over 60 hours a week. My job is high pressure, bullshit craziness. Every day I put on my suit for 10 hours of yelling and insanity. I have to quit. I am miserable. Sure, it pays me a ton. I have a beautiful loft apartment, a car, a great savings account, but for what? Constant misery and no time of my own.
Here it is, 10:00 (yeah, that's my typical day. Been here since 8 a.m.) and I am pissed off and exhausted. I start to go home the usual way, but suddenly the idea of heading home alone to my bachelor pad seems so unappealing. What am I going to do? Go home, crack a beer, watch some porn, jerk off and go to sleep. Pathetic.
It's a hot, muggy night but it feels alive and electric. Something is in the air. I do not want the normal routine. I take some side streets and walk downtown to this little bar I know. It's small but nice. Not seedy. I'll go in and chat to my buddy Joe at the bar, get a nice buzz on. I need to get out of my own head!
That's what I was thinking when I met you. I walked into Joe's and there you were, like something out of a dream. I just happened to be there at that moment, and so did you. After everything that's happened between us, how can it be anything other than fate?
HER
What a shitty day. Fucking asshole. I can't believe he blew me off.
I should have learned my lesson!! When will I ever get it through my thick skull that meeting men on the internet is a bad idea. When? I swear I only do it in moments of weakness and extreme horniness. That's when I break down and go on my "dating" site and see what's up. I am picky. I am looking for just the right guy. And when I met Joe Darlington, I thought I hit the jackpot. One month of teasing and flirting and intense sexual conversations, but when it comes right down to it he flakes out on me. It's 10:30. He was supposed to be here at 8:00. No call, no text, nothing. I hardly even know where I am. I found this little place and trudged all the way here, so I'm at least going to have a drink and enjoy myself before I go home. What an ass.
I spent so much time getting ready, too. I'm actually wearing a dress—black, clingy, wrap-around. I'm wearing black pumps, I smell great, and I'm feeling like an idiot sitting here.
That's when you came into the bar. Jesus fuck. Could you be any cuter? I have a thing for men in suits. And for dark, Italian men. And for big and tall and muscly men, bigger and taller than me. Everything that is you. You were wearing a grey suit and looked pissed off. I saw you come in and suddenly the night got very exciting.
HIM
Jesus Christ, who are you? I've been coming to this bar for years and I've never seen you before. My God, you are gorgeous. You must be 5'8. I love tall women. Big boobs, big lips, and that mane of thick, dark, wavy brown hair pulled back from your face. What can I say? I grew up with five Italian sisters who look just like you, and that's my ideal-lush and sultry.
I glance in your direction and sit down at the bar a few stools away. I need to relax. I order a beer.
I'm sitting there talking to Joe for a while, constantly glancing over to where you are, but scared to make a move. I didn't plan on this! Do I smell ok, look ok? What are you doing here alone? What should I do?
There's a moment when Joe leaves and you and I are all alone at the bar. Is it my imagination or is there some unspoken thing in the air? I work up the nerve to look at you, and to my surprise I find that you are staring at me, boldly and directly. Isn't this a cliché? Two strangers' eyes meet across a crowded bar? You just look at me plainly and I look directly into your eyes, too. Dark brown and hazel green. Well, it happens. I'll be the first to tell you. I swear we looked into each other's eyes and the knowledge was there. Who the fuck cares if it's a cliché. The knowledge that we are going to see each other naked. The certainty that whether we fuck now or later, it's already a done deal.
In fact, this has never happened to me before, this instant lust. Well if I didn't know what it was before, I know now. This is not going to be polite sex with my gf. There is intelligence in your eyes that pierces me in my gut. You know, and you're letting me know. Is this how lust really works? How come it's never happened before?
Nervous or not, it's time to go meet you.
HER
About time! You're coming over!
This is so strange. I am such a passive person, especially when it comes to sex. I HATE making the first move. But I had to.
I saw you come in, I saw you look at me, and I knew. Holy Jesus. I could feel and sense every move you made. When you talked to your friend, when you lifted your beer to your lips, I could feel every movement in my stomach. There is a pleasant buzzing in my nipples, which are hard looking at you. I am getting wet looking at you. Here you are, the man I have feared all my life!
And you do nothing. I see you looking at me and looking quickly away. I won't hurt you! This is really happening. So I sit and wait, and wait. I get a little more drunk.